Key Takeaways Ero Copper declared commercial production at its Tucuma Operation effective July 1, 2025. Production hit 6,400 tons in Q2, with June contributing 2,000 tons post filter press repair. Metallurgical recovery and concentrate grades met or beat targets, fueling expected H2 growth.Ero Copper Corp. (ERO) announced that its Tucumã Operation has achieved commercial production, effective July 1, 2025. The achievement came after the third tailings filter was repaired and commissioned in April 2025.Ero ...

Core Insights - Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) achieved stronger-than-expected margin performance in Q1 2025, reporting an adjusted EBIT margin of 6.1%, which is an increase of 30 basis points year-over-year and significantly above the guidance of a decline of 50-90 basis points [1] - The gross margin improved by 30 basis points to 43.8%, supported by a 20-basis-point increase in merchandise margin and a 10-basis-point reduction in freight expenses [2] - For 2025, Burlington maintains its outlook of 6-8% sales growth and an adjusted EBIT margin flat to up 30 basis points, assuming stable tariffs, inflation, and freight costs [4] Financial Performance - Adjusted SG&A expenses decreased by 30 basis points due to the timing of SOAR program expenses and company-wide cost-saving actions [3] - Reserve inventory rose by 31% in dollar terms, now representing 48% of total inventory, which is expected to support future margins [3] - Product sourcing costs increased by 10 basis points as a percentage of sales to $197 million from $183 million, reflecting higher asset protection investments [2] Comparative Analysis - Target Corporation (TGT) increased its operating margin to 6.2% from 5.3%, while its gross margin slipped to 28.2% due to higher markdowns and supply-chain costs [5] - Ross Stores (ROST) maintained an operating margin of 12.2%, with SG&A expenses rising slightly to $797.1 million [6] - Dollar Tree (DLTR) saw its gross margin rise to 35.6%, but its operating margin contracted to 8.3% due to elevated costs [7] Valuation and Estimates - Burlington's stock has gained 9% over the past three months, compared to the industry's growth of 8.8% [8] - The forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio for BURL is 1.31X, lower than the industry average of 1.80X [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Burlington's current fiscal-year sales implies a year-over-year growth of 7.5% [12]

Core Insights - LiveOne, Inc. (LVO) has formed a strategic partnership with Synervoz Communications, Inc. to enhance voice-enabled experiences in devices and operating systems [1][10] - The collaboration is expected to unlock over 70 Business-to-Business (B2B) opportunities across various industries, including automotive and retail [2][10] - LiveOne aims to transform audience engagement with audio through innovations such as voice search and collaborative podcast streaming [3][4] Company Developments - LiveOne is focusing on expanding its B2B partnerships, having secured significant agreements, including a partnership with Amazon valued at over $16.5 million and another with a Fortune 50 company worth more than $25 million [5] - The company is operating at nearly a $50 million annual run rate from five newly launched B2B partnerships and is preparing for a major collaboration expected to bring in nearly 10 times the number of subscribers compared to its Tesla partnership, scheduled for August 2025 [6][10] - In February 2025, LiveOne partnered with Telly to provide a dual-screen audio and entertainment experience, allowing users to enjoy music or podcasts on a secondary display [7] Market Performance - LVO currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) and has seen its shares decline by 34% over the past year, contrasting with the Zacks Audio Video Production industry's growth of 42.4% [8]

Core Insights - Ericsson has been selected by Latvia's largest communication service provider, Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT), to modernize its core network infrastructure and support the nationwide deployment of 5G Standalone (5G SA) services [1][8] - The partnership between Ericsson and LMT is long-standing, focusing on innovative initiatives and network development projects, marking the initial deployment of Ericsson's Unified Data Management (UDM) solution within the Telia Group [2][8] - The upgrade to a cloud-native architecture will enhance LMT's agility, scalability, and innovation in delivering advanced digital services [1][3] Company Developments - The deal involves a comprehensive overhaul of LMT's subscriber domain infrastructure, transitioning to a cloud-based, service-oriented architecture [3] - Key components of the transformation include the deployment of Ericsson's Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure, allowing LMT to run both virtualized and cloud-native network functions [4] - The agreement also includes replacing LMT's legacy Home Location Register (HLR) and Home Subscriber Server (HSS) with Ericsson's UDM platform, crucial for supporting Latvia's expanding digital economy [5] Market Position and Strategy - Ericsson is positioned to grow by capitalizing on strong 5G demand, aiming to lead in mobile networks and develop a robust enterprise business [6] - The company has made strategic acquisitions, including Vonage and Cradlepoint, to expand into wireless, 5G, and security sectors [6] - Recent innovations include the launch of Ericsson On-Demand, a SaaS model for 5G core network services developed in collaboration with Google Cloud, enhancing operational efficiency for communications service providers [7] Challenges and Competition - Despite growth opportunities, Ericsson faces pressures from geopolitical and economic challenges, including declining revenues in China due to market share issues and competition from Huawei and Nokia [8][9] - Supply-chain issues and reduced spending by telecom operators in various regions are contributing to revenue declines [9] Financial Performance - Ericsson currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) and has gained 37.3% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Wireless Equipment industry's growth of 33.3% [10]

Group 1 - Zacks Premium offers tools for investors to enhance their stock market confidence and knowledge, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1][2] - The Zacks Style Scores provide a rating system for stocks based on value, growth, and momentum, helping investors identify securities likely to outperform the market [2][3] Group 2 - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E and Price/Sales [3] - The Growth Score assesses a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected earnings and sales for sustainable growth [4] - The Momentum Score identifies trends in stock prices and earnings estimates, aiding investors in timing their stock purchases [5] Group 3 - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive rating that highlights stocks with attractive value, growth potential, and positive momentum [6] - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios [7][8] Group 4 - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +23.62% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - To maximize returns, investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [9][10] Group 5 - Walt Disney Company reported revenues of $91.4 billion in fiscal 2024 and holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) with a VGM Score of B [11] - Disney's Growth Style Score of B indicates a forecasted year-over-year earnings growth of 16.3% for the current fiscal year [11] - Recent analyst revisions have increased Disney's earnings estimate for fiscal 2025, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate rising to $5.78 per share [12]

Core Viewpoint - Essential Utilities (WTRG) is experiencing growth through acquisitions, organic ventures, and capital expenditures, which are enhancing its water and wastewater operations [1] Group 1: Investment Plans and Infrastructure - The company plans to invest $7.8 billion from 2025 to 2029 to improve its water and natural gas systems, with an investment of $1.4-$1.5 billion in infrastructure planned for 2025 [2][8] - Essential Utilities has expanded its utility operations significantly since 2015, completing numerous acquisitions that have added over 129,000 customers, with five pending acquisitions expected to add more than 210,000 customers [4][8] Group 2: Operational Stability and Emission Reduction - A majority of the water distributed by the company is self-sourced, which contributes to business stability, and the company aims to reduce annual Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60% by 2035 compared to 2019 levels [3] - The focus on new and advanced assets is expected to lower operational costs [3] Group 3: Challenges and Risks - Water utilities face risks related to water contamination, which can lead to service disruptions and additional costs for testing and treatment [5] - Weather fluctuations, such as cooler winters and increased rainfall, can negatively impact water demand and the company's performance [6] Group 4: Stock Performance - Over the past six months, WTRG's shares have increased by 3.8%, which is lower than the industry's growth of 17.6% [7][8]

Core Insights - Tutor Perini Corporation (TPC) is well-insulated from near-term shocks related to tariff risks, particularly in the construction sector, due to its strategic bidding and procurement practices [1][2][5] Group 1: Company Strategies - TPC employs a two-pronged approach in its bidding process, incorporating inflation contingencies and pricing buffers before contracts are awarded [2] - After securing projects, TPC locks in fixed-price subcontracts and bulk material buyouts to protect its margins from commodity price escalations [2] - The company has a record backlog of $19.4 billion, primarily supported by state and local governments and long-committed federal infrastructure funding [3] Group 2: Project Activity - TPC has experienced an acceleration in smaller projects as clients aim to mitigate potential cost increases, indicating strong demand and no signs of pullback [4] - Recent project awards include a $1.18 billion Manhattan tunnel and a $500 million California healthcare facility, contributing to backlog growth [4] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Granite Construction and Fluor Corporation face similar tariff-related challenges but have different strategies; Granite is more exposed to material price volatility, while Fluor's global operations may increase its vulnerability to geopolitical shifts [6][7][8] - TPC's U.S.-focused, federally backed pipeline provides greater visibility and protection compared to its peers [8][9] Group 4: Financial Performance - TPC's stock has surged 99.1% year-to-date, outperforming the broader construction sector and the S&P 500 index [10][12] - Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have increased by 14.4% to $1.75 per share and 10.8% to $3.09 per share, respectively, indicating significant year-over-year growth [13] - The current valuation of TPC appears attractive, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 19.88, suggesting potential for investors [15]

Core Insights - Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) reported preliminary assets under management (AUM) of $1.61 trillion as of June 30, 2025, reflecting a 2.1% increase from the previous month driven by favorable market conditions despite long-term net outflows of $1 billion [1][8] AUM Breakdown - Equity assets reached $656.1 billion, marking a 4% increase from the prior month [2] - Fixed income AUM stood at $441.3 billion, showing a marginal increase from the previous month [2] - Alternative AUM slightly decreased to $254 billion [2] - Multi-asset AUM was reported at $183 billion, up 2.6% from May 2025 [2] - Cash management balance increased to $71.9 billion, reflecting a 1.3% rise from the previous month [2] Market Performance and Outlook - The overall AUM growth in June was attributed to positive market performance, although the decline in alternative AUM raises concerns [3] - Franklin's inorganic expansion efforts are noted to continue supporting its financials [3] - Over the past six months, BEN shares have appreciated by 24.4%, contrasting with a 3.3% decline in the industry [4]

Group 1: Zacks Premium and Style Scores - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates on Zacks Rank and Industry Rank, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the next 30 days [2][3] Group 2: Value, Growth, and Momentum Scores - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using ratios like P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales, appealing to value investors [3] - The Growth Score assesses a company's financial strength and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to find sustainable growth stocks [4] - The Momentum Score identifies optimal times to invest based on price trends and earnings estimate changes, catering to momentum traders [5] Group 3: VGM Score and Zacks Rank - The VGM Score combines Value, Growth, and Momentum Scores, providing a comprehensive indicator for investors seeking a balanced approach [6] - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investors, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.62% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7][8] Group 4: Stock Analysis - Acuity, Inc. - Acuity, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, GA, manufactures and distributes lighting fixtures and related components, focusing on energy efficiency and comfort for various applications [11] - Acuity has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of A, with a Value Style Score of B, supported by a forward P/E ratio of 17.61, making it attractive for value investors [12] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates and a Zacks Consensus Estimate increase of $0.31 to $17.34 per share indicate positive momentum for Acuity [12][13]

While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies.Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these ...